Heinz in talks to buy European food company

US food group, H.J. Heinz Co. announced Wednesday that it has begun
talks to acquire a major European food company that sells soups,
packaged vegetables,...

US food group, H.J. Heinz Co. announced Wednesday that it has begun
talks to acquire a major European food company that sells soups,
packaged vegetables, sports drinks and fortified juices ,
Associated Press reports. Heinz is negotiating to buy the CSM Food
Division of CSM Nederland NV of Diemen, near Amsterdam. Heinz
expects to complete the merger early in 2001, the company said in
its announcement. Any agreement would have to be approved by
European Union regulators. CSM Food Division is a major food
company in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. It holds the
No. 1 or No. 2 brands in each of its markets. Brands include the
Honig brand of soups, sauces and pastas; Hak brand of vegetables
packed in glass; and KDR (Koninklijke De Ruijter) brand sports
drinks and fortified juices.